LCD cell chamfering apparatus

ABSTRACT

A liquid crystal display (LCD) cell chamfering apparatus mainly comprises a grinding disc rotatably disposed in a housing, a liftable cover sealed an opening defined in the housing and a vacuum device for creating a vacuum in the housing relative to ambient. The liftable cover is provided with a track device mounted thereon. A slidable V-shaped clamp is mounted on the track device for holding a LCD cell. The corner of the LCD cell is brought into contact with the grinding disc, which is rotating, through an opening defined in the clamp and a slot defined in the cover thereby chamfering the corner of the LCD cell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a chamferingapparatus, and more particularly to a chamfering apparatus used infabrication of liquid crystal display (LCD).

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] In the LCD manufacturing process, two glass substrates are joinedwith seal material, and liquid crystal (LC) material is injected intothe small space therebetween. Next, polarizing films are attached ontothe outside of each substrate and the driver electronic PWBs areattached thereon. Finally, a backlight unit is added to complete the LCDmodule.

[0005] Specifically, the glass substrates are assembled by the followingsteps. First, an adhesive seal material is applied, usually by eithersilkscreening or screen printing. An opening is left in the seal for LCmaterial injection in the subsequent process. After the adhesive isapplied, it is cured in order to outgas solvents in the material andachieve partial cross-linking of the polymer. This makes the materialless tacky (B-stage material), which allows the substrates to contactwith each other during alignment. Before assembling the two substrates,spacers are deposited on one of the substrates to maintain a precisecell gap (between 5-10 micrometers) between the two substrates. Thesubstrates are then aligned and laminated by heat and pressure tocomplete the cross-linking of the polymer.

[0006] After the assembling process is completed, the assembled glasssubstrates are cut apart or “singulated” into individual LCD cells ofany desired sizes, depending on the customer's requirements. Next, theLCD cells are proceeded to a chamfering operation and an inspectingprocess for the outer appearance thereof.

[0007]FIG. 1 illustrates a chamfering operation utilized an abrasivepaper 100. It is conducted by directly rubbing the singulated LCD cellsagainst the abrasive paper 100.

[0008]FIG. 2 illustrates a chamfering operation utilized a conventionalchamfering apparatus 300. It is conducted by pressing the singulated LCDcells 200 against a rotating grinding disc 310. Specifically, one cornerof the LCD cell 200 is pressed against the disc 310 along the rotatingaxis of the disc 310, so that the corner of the LCD cell 200 can bechamfered.

[0009] However, in the conventional chamfering methods described above,it is extremely difficult to control the movement of the LCD cell 200,when the LCD cell is chamfered. Thus, it is quite difficult to controlthe quality of the chamfering operation, e.g., the straightness of thechamfered corner.

[0010] Furthermore, those conventional chamfering devices cannot catchthe dust particles which are messy and unpleasant to the operators aswell as dangerous to the operators. Therefore, a need exists for achamfering apparatus which adequately protects operator from beingstruck by flying particles or from ingesting particulate dust from thechamfering apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] It is a primary object of the present invention to provide aliquid crystal display (LCD) cell chamfering apparatus which allowsprecise control of the chamfering operation thereby assuring the qualityof the chamfering operation.

[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquidcrystal display (LCD) cell chamfering apparatus which protects theoperator and eliminates dust.

[0013] In accordance with the above objects, we discloses a LCD cellchamfering apparatus comprising a housing having an opening; means forcreating a vacuum in the housing relative to ambient; a grinding discrotatably disposed in the housing; a liftable cover sealed the openingof the housing, the liftable cover having a slot; a track device mountedon the liftable cover adapted for limiting a device in the track deviceto move along the slot of the cover; and a slidable V-shaped clampmounted on the track device for holding the LCD cell, the V-shaped clamphaving an opening.

[0014] According to the present invention, the LCD cell is held by theV-shaped clamp. To chamfer one corner of the LCD cell, the corner ispressed against the grinding disc, which is rotating, through theopening of the clamp and the slot of the cover. Since the opening of theclamp limits the movement of the LCD cell relative to the grinding disc,the chamfering operation can be conducted accurately thereby assuringthe quality of the chamfering operation.

[0015] Furthermore, the LCD cell chamfering apparatus of the presentinvention has been provided with vacuum means to collect the chamferedparticles thereby greatly reducing the dust. Specifically, the vacuummeans comprises a tank connected to the housing through an inlet; avacuum pump connected to the tank through an outlet; and a dustcollection bag disposed inside the tank and connected directly to theinlet. According to the present invention, the chamfered particles aredrawn into the dust collection bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0017]FIG. 1 illustrates a chamfering operation utilized an abrasivepaper;

[0018]FIG. 2 illustrates a chamfering operation utilized a conventionalchamfering apparatus;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a chamfering apparatusaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the chamfering apparatusof FIG. 3 according to the present invention; and

[0021]FIG. 5 illustrates, in an enlarged cross-sectional view, a portionof the chamfering apparatus of FIG. 3 according to the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022]FIG. 3 shows a LCD cell chamfering apparatus 400 according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention. The chamfering apparatus400 mainly comprises a grinding disc 410 rotatably disposed in a housing420, a liftable cover 430 sealed an opening defined in the housing 420and a vacuum means 440 adapted to create a vacuum in the housing 420relative to ambient.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the liftable cover 430 has a slot430 a. A track device 450 is mounted on the liftable cover 430 forlimiting a device in the track device to move along the slot 430 a ofthe cover 430. A slidable V-shaped clamp 460 is mounted on the trackdevice 460 for holding a LCD cell 200 wherein the V-shaped clamp 460 hasan opening defined therein. Preferably, a scale 470 is provided alongthe track device 450 so that the movement of the V-shaped clamp 460 onthe track device 460 can be precisely adjusted.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 3, the vacuum means 440 according to thepresent invention preferably comprises a tank 442 connected to thehousing 420 through an inlet 444; a vacuum pump 446 connected to thetank 442 through an outlet 448; and a dust collection bag 449 disposedinside the tank 442 and connected directly to the inlet 444. It could beunderstood that, as shown, the LCD cell chamfering apparatus 400 of thepresent invention may be provided with two vacuum means 440. Thegrinding disc 410 of the present invention is supported on a shaft 412built in a motor 414, e.g., a DC motor. The grinding disc 410 is rotatedby the motor 414.

[0025] A description will be given of the operation of the LCD cellchamfering apparatus 400 according to the present invention, which isconstructed in the manner described below.

[0026] First, the apparatus is turned on and the grinding disc 410 isrotated, and the LCD cell 200 is set on the chamfering apparatus 400.Specifically, the LCD cell 200 is placed so that one corner thereof canaccess the V-shaped clamp. Thereafter, the LCD cell chamfering apparatus400 starts chamfering the LCD cell, i.e., the corner is pressed againstthe grinding disc, which is rotating, through the opening of the clampand the slot of the cover. When the LCD cell moves by a predetermineddistance toward the grinding disc, the corner of the LCD cell meets theV-shaped clamp, and the LCD cell stops moving. Since the opening of theclamp limits movement of the LCD cell moving toward the grinding disc,the chamfering operation can be conducted accurately thereby assuringthe quality of the chamfering operation. Furthermore, during thechamfering operation, the chamfered dust particles are drawn into thedust collection bag 449 by the vacuum pump 446 thereby significantlyreducing the dust particles that may be inhaled by the operators.

[0027] Although the invention has been explained in relation to itspreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) cell chamferingapparatus for chamfering a corner of a LCD cell, the chamferingapparatus comprising: a housing having an opening; vacuum means adaptedto create a vacuum in the housing relative to ambient; a grinding discrotatably disposed in the housing; a liftable cover sealed the openingof the housing, the liftable cover having a slot; a track device mountedon the liftable cover adapted for limiting a device in the track deviceto move along the slot of the cover; a slidable V-shaped clamp mountedon the track device for holding the LCD cell, the V-shaped clamp havingan opening, wherein the corner of the LCD cell is brought into contactwith the grinding disc, which is rotating, through the opening of theclamp and the slot of the cover.
 2. The LCD cell chamfering apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the vacuum means comprises: a tank connectedto the housing through an inlet; a vacuum pump connected to the tankthrough an outlet; and a dust collection bag disposed inside the tankand connected directly to the inlet, wherein the vacuum pump forces airunder pressure into the dust collection bag.
 3. The LCD cell chamferingapparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a scale providedalong the track device.